National Guard vs. drugs

He has repeatedly asked lawmakers to include money in the state budget for hiring additional agents at the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency. The Legislature approved funding to add six MDEA agents, two state prosecutors and two judges for additional arrests and court cases this year, but LePage has said he wants more. He called the funding “chump change” during an interview with WVOM’s George Hale and Ric Tyler.

It’s unclear how the governor would utilize the Maine National Guard. A federal law known as the Posse Comitatus Act of 1878 limits how the federal government can use military personnel to enforce domestic laws. However, National Guard forces operating under state authority can be exempted from the act’s restrictions and could be used in some capacity as part of the state’s response to a drug problem.

The administration did not respond to a request for additional details on the governor’s plan. In the radio interview, LePage said only that his office was exploring the legal limits of using the guard.

“I am going to use the executive branch, and if need be, as commander in chief, I have access to the National Guard,” he said. “If the Legislature refuses to give us the resources we need, and if we can’t develop a comprehensive plan with existing resources, I will use the National Guard.”

The governor made similar comments last week in an interview with the Maine Public Broadcasting Network, and MDEA Director Roy McKinney told MPBN that four guardsmen are already assigned to drug task forces as intelligence analysts. McKinney also said that the guard has previously provided members to help with investigations, and in efforts to find and destroy illegal marijuana growing operations.

LePage also made other comments Tuesday about the drug epidemic that has received significant media attention after 14 drug overdoses in Portland over the course of 24 hours starting on July 31, resulting in two deaths. That surge could become a watershed moment during an epidemic that has repeatedly surfaced over the past several years.

The number of Mainers seeking treatment for heroin addiction increased from 1,115 in 2010 to 3,463 last year, and the number of heroin overdose deaths climbed from seven in 2011 to 57 in 2014. Those statistics reflect the national trends prompted by increased availability of the low-cost street drug at a time when prescription opiate painkillers are becoming harder to find and more expensive to buy. Many users become addicted to painkillers first, then turn to lower-cost heroin.

Portland police fear that the sudden spike in overdoses may have been caused by a “bad batch” of heroin that was either of unusually high purity or had been laced with the even-deadlier prescription opiate fentanyl.

LePage has taken the position that the penalties for drug traffickers aren’t stiff enough, saying Tuesday, “We’re soft on crime and we’re soft on penalties.” However, LePage actually tried to veto two bills passed by the Legislature that would have beefed up drug penalties.

One of the bills outlaws the designer drug acetyl fentanyl and its derivatives, which have been used to increase the potency of heroin by up to 50 times its original strength. The bill was submitted at the request of the MDEA. The second bill increases the fine for the unlawful possession of fentanyl from a misdemeanor to a felony.

LePage announced last week that he will convene a summit of law enforcement, treatment providers and other experts to develop a response to the drug problem. His office has yet to announce any additional details on the summit.

MORE ENFORCEMENT, FAILED TREATMENT

The governor has seized the opportunity provided by the spike in Portland overdoses to repeat his call for more MDEA agents, a proposal he’s been pushing since last year. LePage’s demand for more agents comes as treatment providers are questioning statements made by officials at the Maine Department of Health and Human Services that the state has a surplus of treatment funding.

DHHS officials have neither provided specifics about the amount of the surplus, nor reconciled conflicting statements in which a DHHS spokesman said that the unused funds are given to providers at the end of the year, after originally saying that the money is diverted to the state’s General Fund.

“In some cases the federal government will put strings on the money that’s impossible to meet,” he said. “Yes, there’s more, and yes, there’s money left over at the end of last year.”

The governor also criticized Democrats for pursuing more treatment funding while not completely fulfilling his request for enforcement money.

“If I didn’t know better, if I was a real cynic, I’d think that the Democrats like drug dealers,” he said, before adding that the perfect place to put drug traffickers was in the “super-max,” a reference to the maximum-security unit within the Maine State Prison.

“The drug traffickers … are murderers and murderers should all be together,” he said.

LePage also made reference to a DHHS statement that only 36 percent of those entering state-funded treatment programs complete them. In some areas, DHHS spokesman David Sorensen told the Press Herald last week, the number is as low as 15 percent.

“That’s a horrible number,” LePage said. “That’s because we don’t hold people responsible for their actions.”

A FOCUS ON TRAFFICKERS, NOT ADDICTION

DHHS has not provided additional information about the program completion statistic. However, the figures echo a theme in administration statements that the state is funding treatment programs, but there are some people who just don’t want the help. The governor has said this explicitly, telling reporters during a May 29 news conference that “I’m looking to go after the traffickers. I don’t care about the users. We’ll get them in clinical therapy and that can be dealt with – if they chose to.”

The federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, which distributes grant funding to states’ mental health and substance abuse programs, compiles reports from state agencies about discharge and treatment-completion rates. It discourages state-to-state comparisons, in part because reporting methods and accuracy vary widely.

In 2011, in what appears to be the agency’s most recent national data set on treatment and discharges, there was a 12 percent completion rate nationally among the 75,238 discharges from outpatient medication-assisted opioid therapy (mostly methadone). Forty percent dropped out of therapy, 22 percent transferred to another provider, 11 percent had treatment terminated by the provider, and 15 percent were discharged for another reason. Factors that affect completion rates include frequency of opioid use before entering treatment, age, employment and education level.

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yellowkid49

The man is out of his mind.

KennebunkportIndependent

Bonkers. Crackers. Crazy as a sh**-house rat.

amosnme

Why, after you said prior to this, “Let them die”, referring to people who overdosed and mostly were drug addicts, are you now changing your entire line of crap to blaming others for not having the resources to help these people that you were prepared to let die from drugs? Do you lie so much that you don’t remember what you lied about or is your mind so bad that you really don’t remember? You have proved beyond the shadow of doubt that you are mentally unstable. If you bring out “the militia”, what are you going to suggest they do? Stand on street corners with AK-47’s to shoot anyone who looks like they are dealing drugs? Are you going to put them undercover to buy or sell drugs to people who don’t want them? Every day with every idea, you show us what you are made of. Don’t stand out in the rain because it washes away after a while, but it stinks.

Clubba_Lang

Militia would use AR15’s, more accurate.

PortlandGenXer

Strange that a guy who complains about the size of government would want to resort to a police state.

Devonshade

This is just another example of the fascist thought process of republican leaders. Beat and bully down everybody and everything that gets in the way of their fascist nationalistic agenda. Pretty soon they’ll be wearing brown shirted uniforms.

bootjack

Typical rant by a leftist. We have laws and they need to be enforced. There is no “choice” to use an illegal substance. It’s against the law. If you break the law you pay the consequences. If that’s Fascist does that make you a Communist?

tiresias75

Gee, how much booze did your family inhale during Prohibition…?

bootjack

The last time I checked alcohol was a legal substance and was considered an intoxicant and not a drug. As for my family during the prohibition I’d ask them but they’re all residing in the cemetery down the street. I do know neither my Grandfather or Grandmother imbibed.

Diebenkorn

Was the username jackboot already taken?

depnfree

LePage is back to his old tricks….my way or else!

bootjack

The law. You either support it and obey it or you don’t and suffer the consequences. It is amazing to me how as a society we have allowed so many to flaunt the laws on drugs without having to suffer the consequences.

CledusSnow

Clueless. The vast majority of addicts ARE traffickers- they get their stuff for free by selling stuff to their “friends”, and the next day, maybe it’s those “friends” who have some to sell to them. They may be small-time traffickers, but they do fit the definition.

russell Gibson

Why don’t all you Lepage haters find out just how he would utilize the National guard
before you all jump over him. They might be able to be used in a very helpful way and possibly prevent one of your loved ones getting hooked on one of these drugs in the long run.

notspot

That’s the problem…He has no idea how or if he can use them.

KennebunkportIndependent

He said ‘he has been studying the law’. We know how that has worked out before…..

bootjack

Have you checked to see if it was possible before commenting?

notspot

Did the Governor? That’s a better question.

russell Gibson

That is just it I guess he will figure were they can be useful or to be able to be used at all. But for some reason most of you folks on here
just do not want to listen to anything this man proposes. At least let him suggest his points before you all get your shorts tied up in nots.
Weither you are liberal, conservative what ever think and be civil.
But for some reason some of the folks on this site today are just a bunch of angry uneducated sounding people. Sad on you.

tet1953

Oh look…a LePage apologist. You guys are becoming more rare every day.

StrangeOneClearcut

People like you will be gone soon.Your King is going down.losing more allies every week.Soon he will be in Court on the Eves Lawsuit.And still he is under investigation which should lead to impeachment and criminal charges.
You LePage supporters are freaks and your getting smaller and smaller.

bootjack

It has nothing to do with supporting Lepage. This isn’t a cheerleading contest. Drugs are a very serious problem and Lepage is proposing a possible solution to help get them off the street.
Waiting to see how his proposal fleshes out and possibly supporting it then does not make one a “Lepage supporter”. It simply means that one likes this proposal to solve this particular issue.

notspot

He has not proposed anything as of yet…

russell Gibson

Than you Boot.

occams_beard_trimmer

“Lepage is proposing a possible solution to help get them off the street.”

No, he is proposing the exact same thing that has caused the US to have the largest prisoner population in the world. He is proposing the same ‘solution’ which hasnt worked for 50 years. It is no wonder that morons (people like you) support him. The best way to get out of a hole is to dig your way out, right?

/BootLICK.

russell Gibson

Mr or Ms. Strange what you say is strange I am just a supporter of just trying to make Maine a safe state to live in, regardless who governs it’
You can even govern it for all i care. If you new what you were doing.
Which i doubt. I am not saying you are a freak like you are calling people because they like someone other than you like. I really have nothing else to say to you.Other than you sound like a delusional tool.

we’re waiting, but he never has a clear plan — I think he just wings it. That’s why his “plans” have a low success rate.

notspot

Perhaps this is why he wanted combat troops…

tet1953

Dunno if you are joking or not, but you could be onto something lol

RedFaced1

I wouldn’t be surprised if LePage just wants to declare Martial Law in Portland.

While a ridiculous idea to any normal person, LePage and his ilk are what McCain refers to as “the crazies.”

tiresias75

Jackboots in Monument Square – how evocative of this Administration!

nickelectro

“LePage said only that his office was exploring the legal limits of utilizing the guard.”

For his sake, I hope he reads the law with more expertise than he read the Maine Constitution.

“If I didn’t know better, I was a real cynic, I’d think that the Democrats like drug dealers,”

I’m a Democrat and I don’t like drug dealers. I don’t like blowhard bullies either. Or idiots.

jbs01

The guy is incapable of uniting folks behind a common goal.

Any leader worth their salt would be able to develop a unified approach with broad support to combat this issue.

Not our Paulie. A big problem is always an opportunity to insult, goad and politicize. He just cannot help himself.

I strongly suspect that the solution has an enforcement and treatment component. By demonizing those who seek more treatment resources, he loses credibility.

And every time he goes on one of these policy rampages, I think of the hackery of the Alexander Report and what a sham that was.

justanotherfakename

Just one more way the governor shows his ignorance of what is actually taking place in Maine, one more delusion, that enforcement is the solution, when treatment and education are the only solutions. There will always be one more dealer when addiction is an untreated disease that is acted on like a criminal conspiracy.

And then we read “the guard has previously provided members to help with investigations and in efforts to find and destroy illegal marijuana growing operations.” Marijuana has nothing to do with heroin addiction, and using the Maine Guard in Marijuana interdiction will do absolutely nothing to stem the disease of addiction.

bootjack

Marijuana and heroin are not linked. But Marijuana is illegal as well as most drugs used for pleasure.

KennebunkportIndependent

True, but I have read that one of the greatest drug scourges sits in medicine cabinets up and down the state.

bootjack

That is true but those drugs are prescription drugs and are supposed to be used according to the label. When they are used in any other way it is “Misuse of Prescription Drugs” and one can lose access to them. If one gives them to someone else one can be arrested.

TheGrapesofWrath

Why not call out the Guard for this too? Why draw the line where you do?

bootjack

That issue has to be dealt with by the Feds with Medicare and Medicaid prescribing rules and the Insurance companies.

TheGrapesofWrath

Illegal possession and/or use of drugs is illegal possession and/or use of drugs. Why does it matter where they ultimately come from to law enforcement?

notspot

Why stop at the National Guard?

bootjack

Because the Posse Comitatus law applies to the active military and prohibits it.

TheGrapesofWrath

Because the governor of Maine has no authority at all over the United States military and the Posse Comitatus Act prohibits the federal government from policing with the military.

Portland_Guy

It was voted to be legal in Portland, as it should be. I’d like to see a crack-down on drunken idiots… like ones with the initials of PL.

bootjack

It may be legal to possess in the People’s Republic of Portland but it is still illegal under state and federal law.

KennebunkportIndependent

Since federal law in this matter is challenged by several states, and the feds make no move, I would say the law is now moot on a federal level. So would any lawyer.

bootjack

Well look at the President we have and his justice department. The President himself is a pot smoker. I think it’ll change after 2016 unless Trump runs as an Independent and ruins the chance.

RJ_DIO

How many addicts do you know? It’s as easy as treatment, huh? Who’s delusional?

I think the pot issue was to highlight precedence.

justanotherfakename

I’ve known many over the years, most are dead, a few made it through various programs and came out alive at the end. Never known one addict who was cured via incarceration. And its obviously extremely difficult or they wouldn’t call it addiction, a disease..

RedFaced1

Whatever is left of his base will eat this right up.

bootjack

And you aren’t at least curious how it might help?

RedFaced1

I am very, very interested to hear how soldiers fit into this equation.

odd999

drug raid? although soldiers have not been noted for finesse when taking down suspects — they usually just shoot first

KennebunkportIndependent

I am afraid that LePage has proven himself so wrong, over so many decisions, that any idea of his fails to rouse any curiosity on my part.

odd999

I have learned that any proposal from LePage is ALWAYS the wrong way to go. his proposals always fail logical analysis.

KennebunkportIndependent

Well, when he decides to move forever to Florida, I will be the first to applaud his wisdom.

frank abbott

The national guard sure showed those commie students at Kent State who had the power!

bootjack

They shouldn’t have been destroying buildings and throwing rocks at the Guard and officers.

KennebunkportIndependent

And that justifies their shooting?

You are a prize.

bootjack

There were also reports of gunshots. Remember there were riots back then where police and the guard faced snipers.

Sea Dog

So any of those shot indicted/charged for the offenses you allege???

bootjack

As far as the 4 who were killed what would be the sense of indicting a dead person?

Sea Dog

So who were they? We can see how it played out.

TheGrapesofWrath

The situation at Kent State was far more complicated than that and you know it.

bootjack

What’s complicated about having bricks and rocks thrown at you by a bunch of young punks?

Christopher White

Your attempt at so distorting the history of Kent State in the service of defending an ill-advised policy, which has virtually no chance of surviving a Constitutional challenge, and which furthermore cannot be shown by any observable examples to have had the desired effect in terms of reducing drug usage, but does have known negative effects in terms of the costs, direct and indirect, to be borne by the tax paying public, boggles the mind.

bootjack

People don’t realize that our drug problems are multi faceted. Heroin isn’t grown in the back yard. It comes from other places and in many cases is produced outside the U.S..
It might be cut with other substances locally obtained but it is not made in Maine.
The supply of drugs like Heroin is controlled by large operations which filter the stuff down to smaller dealers and addicts.
The military can be an important part of a drug war as it has access to intelligence that law enforcement agencies may not have and can also cross state lines. I say “Go get them”! The drug lords and organizations are as much enemies of this country is Islamists. Both need to be purged from this world.
Maybe if others see whats in store for them if they get caught they won’t deal.

KennebunkportIndependent

Which law allows the National Guard to be used for domestic law enforcement?

tet1953

Actually there is a law which disallows it — Posse Comitatus, as mentioned in the article. There are situations where they can be used in an emergency, to prevent looting, crowd control, etc. Surely such a situation would need specificity and a declared emergency however.

KennebunkportIndependent

Thanks – I know that, but bj seems not to.

bootjack

Posse Comitatus does not apply to the National Guard under the authority of a Governor. That bit of knowledge can be obtained from sources as simple as Wikipedia.

tet1953

True, but certain conditions such as the ones I mentioned would have to apply. 14 deaths by overdose is tragic, but I don’t think the drug problem has risen to a level where the Governor has to call out the National Guard even if he didn’t get all the agents he wanted.

bootjack

The drug problem is actually a matter of national security. Our enemies are profiting off of heroin use in this country.

KennebunkportIndependent

Just who does the National Guard attack? ‘Soldier, find the enemy, and neutralize him!’ ‘But sir, who is the enemy? How do I tell who it is? Under which laws do I act? War powers? Civilian Law?”

Soldiers would be placed in impossible situations, with great peril if they do anything without clear legal authority. Is LePage declaring war on Mainers? Asking Mainers to be at war against Mainers?

bootjack

The Guard usually acts in a supporting role to law enforcement agencies. For example when law enforcement finds a Marijuana field the Guard would destroy it freeing up the LEO for other duties.
The Guard could aid with intelligence and other tactical support.
It wouldn’t be a combat mission. We’re not at that point in the U.S…….Yet.

notspot

Worked well with the rice paddies, right?

KennebunkportIndependent

Yet you turn to the Guard as the first solution.

beej, admit it. You are being ridiculous. So is LePage. Get the police and state and federal agencies to earn their pay, first, before sending your neighbors to fight a battle which is not even clearly defined. Perhaps the Biddo PD needs to raid a few crack dens you claim exist there.

frank abbott

When do you think we’ll lose Colorado to the marijuana scourge? Any day now? Are our enemies profiting there?

notspot

Wikipedia? Oh, the source that anyone can edit? Good source, that.

bootjack

And your source?

notspot

Of my statement? Wikipedia.

odd999

The Gov has declared emergencies before, like when Congress threaten a federal shut down.

TheGrapesofWrath

Much of the heroin in the world is grown by Islamists and sold to fund their operations. But that’s not a fight for the streets of Maine.

bootjack

I agree there has to be a National piece of this. But with our pot smoking President in the White House we’re going to have to wait until 2016 for it to happen.

notspot

There you go! And the President isn’t even an American!

Les Finesse

Benghazi!

bootjack

Unless Hawaii somehow seceded from the U.S. he’s an American. But much of his education and training was anything but.

TheGrapesofWrath

Were you as worried about the cocaine snorting President he replaced in the White House?

StrangeOneClearcut

“I am going to use the executive branch, and if need be, as commander in
chief, I have access to the National Guard,” he said. “If the
Legislature refuses to give us the resources we need, and if we can’t
develop a comprehensive plan with existing resources, I will use the
National Guard.”

LEPAGE BUFFOON Wants to call up soldiers to fight drugs.Guess he wants
to use the fire power of our Army to get the drug users.Pepper the whole
lot of us who smoke the weed with bullets.He would love to kill addicts too.He is a trainwreck and I look forward to the Eves Lawsuit as well as criminal charges against this foul POS.

All rhetoric here.Never going to happen.It’s illegal and the guard can
not be called up to do this.But you know his brain dead supporters will
believe him.

Please rule already in your investigation so we can move ahead with impeachment proceedings.

KennebunkportIndependent

Commander in Chief, who spent the Viet Nam years in Canada.

bootjack

Where did you spend it?

Sea Dog

Where did you???

KennebunkportIndependent

I served, including a tour in Viet Nam 1971-2.

And you?

Les Finesse

I suspect BJ is much too young to have served in the Vietnam War Era.

Les Finesse

Apologies, BJ, after reading a few more posts, I see you claim to have served. I won’t argue that fact, but a lot of people falsely make the same claim.

KennebunkportIndependent

He cannot use the National Guard for domestic law enforcement. Period. Is he completely out of control, or simply stupid?

bootjack

It depends how the Guard is used. Just in some basic research I checked and found an article from the New York Times in 1989 on how the Federal Govt. was using the National Guard in the war on drugs to prevent the flow of drugs into the country and to combat Marijuana farms.
The precedent is there.
Now the next question is if a state Governor can do this or if it has to come from the Feds.

KennebunkportIndependent

I think the National Guard may well have a view on how it should be deployed. Against its own home, as defacto police, at the orders of one man? That places soldiers in a moral conundrum.

Tell me, bj, did you serve? I (unlike the ersatz ‘commander-in-chief’ of Maine), did. He went to Canada. I went to Viet Nam. Yet I appear to be the one least eager to use military force.

So, beej, where did you serve?

bootjack

I served my time as a draftee. A year of it in Vietnam in the late 1960’s.

reed1v

Well you made it back, and that is what counts. Thanks for serving our nation.

Sea Dog

You neglected the url link because???

bootjack

Links don’t play well here. Especially when they are to other newspapers. Common complaint.

Sea Dog

‘Workaround’ is to put a ‘space’ before each ‘period’ in the URL; those in the know are aware how this works and utilize it.

bootjack

As I’ve said before I’m a relatively newbie here. I don’t work for any group and have no political connections. Just my own opinions. I’ve always been too busy running a business and participating in local affairs to get involved like this. But thank you for the info.

reed1v

Wow, i am impressed. Thanks for the tip.

bootjack

Perto Rico activated the National Guard in 2013 to help fight drug trafficking and violence. Another precedent.

EddyL

Puerto Rico we ain’t.

bootjack

Puerto Rico operates under the same laws as the states in using the National Guard.

Like the four murders in nearby Biddeford directly tied to drug deals?

odd999

when did these murders occur? mass murders are extremely rare in Maine. Can you give specifics?

bootjack

They weren’t all at once. One guy was shot to death in the parking lot of an apartment building. Two guys were killed on Western Ave. in a drug deal gone bad. They still haven’t caught the shooter.

KennebunkportIndependent

We really don’t know much about Biddeford in the rest of York County. It is a little world unto itself, which is fine. Even Saco prizes the bridge that separates itself from Biddo. Folks in Biddeford Pool associate in Kennebunkport, not Biddo.

reed1v

Biddo should probably be towed to sea and sunk.

TheGrapesofWrath

What, exactly, would the national guard do to stop such things?

LaSirena

Who or what is “Perto Rico”?

bootjack

Sorry. Corrected it!

axion56

I also have similar thoughts . Will the Guard be doing checks at the York toll booth to search cars for heroin ?? Will they do stings in Portland , Biddeford and other assumed to be druggie hang outs ?? Or just bust people on the streets as military personnel walk up Congress St ?? I have yet to figure out LePage’s plan and need for the Guard .

Jonathan Erskine

Southern Maine is going under marshal law.

KennebunkportIndependent

There it is…..at 0.35-0.38 – Paulie’s ‘little girl giggle’. It is sooo funny.

Scott Harriman

How come LePage hates newspapers (“like paying someone to lie to you”), but he’s on sleazy talk radio stations just about every other day?

RedFaced1

Because conservative talk radio is the only accurate news available!

…said no one, ever.

KennebunkportIndependent

LePage is a frequent guest on Howie Carr’s ‘Show’.

Sea Dog

What a Bromance!!! Carr and LePage – both chickened out of Vietnam!!!!

bootjack

And some of the ones who fought there became it’s biggest opponent and screwed up any hope of redeeming al the lives lost there.

TheGrapesofWrath

One cannot “redeem” lives lost for nothing.

Sea Dog

There was no ‘Redemption’ of those lives. The only way possible to stop NVN was to ‘Nuke’ it – too morally reprehensible. We couldn’t even get enough people to volunteer for our Military while NVN civilians – including women and children – were carrying supplies on their backs down the Ho Chi Minh trail. They were bound and determined to gain independence and throw off foreign interventionists. And they succeeded brilliantly!

Now what military service did you have, and if so – where did you serve in combat??

bootjack

As a young Republican I supported Goldwater and I think it was a great mistake he lost. Goldwater’s original idea, as was the command Generals, was to use tactical Nukes over there. It would have won that war.
Going back even further Truman made an extreme mistake preventing MacArthur from invading China during the Korean war. We could have settled that issue then and not had to fight them in Vietnam.
I was in the Army in the late 1960’s. I didn’t see full combat but we were under fire even in support roles.

notspot

Nuke em. Yup…we are so much better than Iran.

bootjack

Trying to win the moral high ground or win the war? Note, there is no moral high ground in war.

EddyL

SMALLER GOVERNMENT; LESS GOVERNMENT screams the lying right-wingers who want MORE AND MORE AND MORE government

bootjack

And liberals want to pour money into the bottomless hole of drug treatment meaning more and more and even more government with new programs. At least the National Guard is already operable.

Diebenkorn

“bottomless hole”?

You just made that up right? No stats to show? No source?

Because treatment does work and costs less than incarceration in the long term.

bootjack

Better informed people than you or I have already submitted that it is almost impossible to completely cure heroin addiction.
The alternative is “Maintenance” which involves methadone or other drugs. Those drugs are not free as you can imagine and don’t mean that the users won’t relapse.
The war to stop the use of drugs means generally focused on preventing new users. Getting the drugs off the streets is important in that respect.

frank abbott

How is that war on drugs working for you? How effective has the billions spent been in getting drugs off the street? Refusal to see the truth, that the “war on drugs” is a dismal and complete failure, makes me suspect that those who keep pushing this losing and failed policy, are mentally challenged. Seriously! That’s not meant to be a personal attack. I JUST DON’T GET IT!

KennebunkportIndependent

bj, why don’t you hang a few dealers and place their rotting corpses on all roads leading into Maine as a warning to drug dealers? Wouldn’t that do the trick?

I would prefer to ask why we have a subculture that turns to drugs, instead of life. Why is life so deserving of escape?

bootjack

I’m a bit more cynical than you when it comes to human nature. Perhaps it comes from the different points we started life from.
Thee are some people who will always push the limits to find pleasure or profit. There are people who’s dark side obscures whatever light they have in them. It isn’t always about people being poor or facing challenges in life. Sometimes it’s embedded in their DNA.

KennebunkportIndependent

The National Guard CANNOT be used for law enforcement, except in exceptional cases, such as riots.

TS13

Doesn’t Congress have to approve the use under Posse Comitatus?

bootjack

The Governor is the Commander In Chief of the National Guard. He can call up the Guard under numerous conditions without the restriction of Posse Comitatus. That law is focused on the active military being used for law enforcement.

LogicalGranny

You’re just saying this to scare us, aren’t you?

KennebunkportIndependent

bj is on a roll. He is recovering from the LePage veto debacle.

KennebunkportIndependent

I am glad you cannot practice law.

Maine_Line

The National Guard is unconditionally exempt from the Posse Comitatus Act when under State authority (US Code Title 32 Section 907).

bootjack

Look at the definitions yourself. It’s right there online.

bootjack

I can’t “Practice Law”, but I have represented myself successfully in court cases before. Albeit not criminal cases.

bootjack

It can and it has been done. Texas Governor Perry used to guard the border. The Guard usually acts in a supporting role to law enforcement.

jbs01

TX Gov Perry is Lepage’s role model?

KennebunkportIndependent

They both skate close to the law.

KennebunkportIndependent

Perry…the indicted one?

Sea Dog

Texas is part of the U.S?

bootjack

Illinois is part of the U.S.? Oh! I thought it was a city state run by the Daley crime family.

Sea Dog

Daley?? You live too far in the past. Ex-Governor George H. Ryan (R) spent six years in a Federal Pen for the crap he pulled as Secretary of State, amassing his war chest for the Gubernatorial race. With him went his SOS “Inspector General” – Dean R. Bauer (once my old boss). Good Republicans from the ‘small’ city which also sent Governor Len Small to the Governor’s Mansion – and was tried twice for corruption while in office. He was acquitted once by a Jury that deliberated less than a half hour, and then most of the panel were placed on the State Payroll in one form or another. You need to research rather than ‘think’ – you obviously don’t have the information.

bootjack

I knew about Ryan, not so much about the others. I guess when the Democratic side has a legacy of many years of corruption’s probably too much to expect the Republicans not to do the same. Not that it makes it right. It just makes the whole state look bad.

tiresias75

Texas is now the role model….?!

bootjack

What is about Texas that make the leftie set see red? One of the nation’s largest state with an economy far better than Maine’s and unique issues we in Maine don’t have to deal with.
I don’t think Perry is the sharpest tool in the shed but at least he tried to solve a problem. Unlike the community organizer we elected President.

Jim LaPierre

You’re a Moron

bootjack

No you’re the moron. The only contribution you made to this conversation was name calling. Grow up!

teetime9

“LePage said only that his office was exploring the legal limits of utilizing the guard.”

Hope he has someone else reading it to him. LeThug’s comprehension skills are spotty at best.

bobb04106

Pretty scary, him “exploring the legal limits” of using armed force. We all know how it worked out the last time he explored legal issues.

manny1856

The war on drugs has been lost. More cops and agents won’t fix the problem.

Diebenkorn

This tyranny will not stand!

bobb04106

Holy cow ! I guess yesterdays PPH Opinion, looking for a kinder, gentler governor has gone down the tubes already.

odd999

The Gov can only act kinder, gentler for a short time before he reverts to the bully we’re all familiar with. Besides, he was away on vacation for a few day in Washington county with his buddies (out-of-state money men)

TheGrapesofWrath

Perhaps they should call for him to just seize power as dictator for life and see what happens. He seems determined to do whatever the PPH doesn’t want.

TS13

Maybe you can hire the Oath Keepers Paul, they seem to be about your speed. Seriously thought, just in case nobody was paying attention, the “war” on drugs has been an epic failure.

Jim

Stupid ALEC windbag. Keep cutting Medicare..

bobb04106

According to other info in the PPH, included in the 65 bills that the governor vetoed were at least 2 bills: that would have outlawed a highly dangerous opiate, and would have allowed rescue treatment for people in overdose situation. And now he wants us to believe that he wants to fight the drug problem. Just a couple weeks ago he was opposing such efforts by the legislature.

Is it that all he has to do is make tough-guy noises, and his flock will follow him anywhere?

Martholomule

>Is it that all he has to do is make tough-guy noises, and his flock will follow him anywhere?

Yes. That’s considered valid political discourse in today’s America. See also: the rise of Donald Trump

resilient__1

It has been shown, many times, that using military units for civilian policing is a bad idea, to be considered in only the most dire circumstances.
But, for Governor LePage, ignorance of reality is his method of operation.

KennebunkportIndependent

His MO is from the streets of Lewiston.

Steven Dutch

Don’t people bother to fact-check? The Posse Comitatus Act is on line and it’s only four lines long. The National Guard is subject to the States except when called into Federal service. In the 1970’s, a militant Indian group in Wisconsin took over a vacant religious center and the National Guard was on scene there for months (I met people who were there). In the furor over the T-Rex Sue case in South Dakota, the National Guard was there because of threats to Federal marshals. No violation of the Posse Comitatus Act. I know it makes you feel profound to put stuff about “federal law limits the use of militia in domestic law enforcement” in your headline, but it only makes you look silly.

None of which affects, in the least, the fact that LePage is an idiot.

KennebunkportIndependent

But what is THE SPECIFIC incident the guard will deal with?

And doesn’t it insult the state police, as well as county sheriffs and town police departments – who are tasked (and paid) to deal with this?

Perhaps a cheaper and better solution would be for LePage to hold a powwow with DAs, police chiefs and so on – to beef up their job performance.

bootjack

Law Enforcement is stretched out already. Remember the drug issues are only one of the things we ask them to do. Domestic violence, theft, traffic violations, hey they even deal with mental illness these days.
The insult is that people like you question that they are doing their job.

TheGrapesofWrath

What specific emergency would the Guard be called out for here? A bad batch of heroin? Really?

bootjack

Hewer go again. The Guard could work with drug agents on raids. When pot fields are discovered it could destroy them freeing the agents for other investigations. It could participate in medical duties. There is a whole list.

TheGrapesofWrath

None of those things are emergency situations.

Tod Inherit

Now he can use the guard to round-up undesirables, like drug addicts, immigrants, and lefties in the legislature.

LogicalGranny

If only this were beyond the realm of possibility.

Tod Inherit

Yes, this guy is unpredictable.

KennebunkportIndependent

He is bonkers. And he giggles like a 10 year old girl.

bootjack

Some of you people are ridiculous. Are you sure your stint in Vietnam wasn’t on behalf of Charlie?

frank abbott

That’s a wretched thing to think or say. Proud of that comment?

bootjack

Frank. Sarcasm aside, I was making a point. I grew up and spent my life with great pride in my country. I served my country and I am proud of that too.
It gets tiring to here the constant bashing of perceived mistakes this country has made. After a while one would think our forefathers were beasts, our government was a bunch of greedy, stupid, fools, and that we were at the bottom of the world community.
I stood with my country through Vietnam. Mistakes were made but part of that was because of political pressure back home. And the momentum from that pressure? I and many others are convinced at least some of it was egged on by our enemies.

The drug war? We’ve spent too much money on it but perhaps that money might have been spent more strategically. As a nation when we fight a war we have to fight to win. Not try to appease those with a queasy sense of morality.

notspot

Was that from Dragnet?

notspot

Joe:
Marijuana’s the flame, heroin’s the fuse, LSD’s the bomb.

StrangeOneClearcut

“The more you tighten your grip, Paulie, the more star systems with pot smokers will slip through your fingers.”

depnfree

Breaking: Sovereign Citizens and Patriot Militias are going to come to LePage’s aide!

a_pink_poodle

All of this over marijuana?

hellosopo

So the National Guard descends on Portland under order of King LePage to “fight drugs” and does…what, exactly?

KennebunkportIndependent

Raid the arugula stand at Whole Foods, looking for hippies?

LogicalGranny

Psst! I have arugula growing in a raised bed in my garden. Don’t tell LePage.

Its little known that if u have no healthcare insurance u cannot get into drug treatment. I was at a methadone clinic 8 years lost my mainecare and got kicked out of clinic.tryed to get on suboxone but that wont happen without any insurance. Lepage wants addicts to die as he’s against handing out narcan.remember addiction does not discriminate it could be your friend, brother,sister coworker or other loved ones

KennebunkportIndependent

Where is that room – in your imagination?

Name the school, and the date you witnessed that.

bootjack

I’m not going to get into specifics because it wouldn’t be fair to the school system or children involved.
But talk to any Special Education professional that deals with behaviorally impaired children and most will recite the same.

Sea Dog

bootjack – great argument for eugenics. Keep it up!

bootjack

So now you’re proposing that we kill the victim instead of the perpetrator? Great thoughts from a former LEO.

Sea Dog

You made the argument – not I…….

bootjack

I cited an example of how drug use affects others beside the user. Those kids deserve our sympathy and support. They didn’t ask to be born that way. Maybe the parents should be sterilized though.

tet1953

The National Guard are not trained law enforcement. They aren’t investigators, detectives, narcotics agents. Therefore, the only use they could possibly be is for muscle. So, what are they going to do? Help bust down doors? Set up a border checkpoint?

Maine_Line

The Maine National Guard has a Counterdrug Task Force that participates in join Federal and State drug interdiction, intelligence, and prevention programs. The Guard also has the 488th Military Policy Company. Many guard members are current and former law enforcement. The Air National Guard has a medical detachment whose doctors and nurses would be used in a variety of community outreach capacities.

I have no idea how mobilizing the guard would help the current supposed crisis, but I don’t think it is fair to portray them as just muscle.

tet1953

Point taken, although I certainly meant no offense to the guard. I just just questioning, as you do, how they could assist. I was not aware of the units you mention.

odd999

busting down doors was the mission in the Mid-east. Lets just hope somebody
knows enough about the evidence to know which doors to bust down and smash up some little old ladies home

ChasInNJ

Neofascist governor wants National Guard to enforce The Global War On Drugs®.

If the Legislature had half a brain, it would have begun impeachment proceedings against this right-wing prig already.

tiresias75

I wondered how long he’d be able to keep off the front page after the Maine Supreme Court smack down – well, now we know….

Anchovy Garbanzo

“Those statistics reflect the national trends prompted by increased availability of the low-cost street drug at a time when prescription opiate painkillers are becoming harder to find and more expensive to buy. Many users become addicted to painkillers first, then turn to lower-cost heroin.”

Mark Usinger

“I don’t care about the users” . This is what our governor said about some of fellow citizens. Amazing…

bootjack

Many feel the focus on drug prevention should be keeping drugs out of the hands of possible first time users. Prevention not cure.
Those who are already addicted what can you do? If they aren’t serious about being treated it’s wasted money. But every young person kept off of drugs by drying up the source is a victory.

TheGrapesofWrath

Drugs, of all kinds, are not hard to find and we’ve been trying to dry up the supply for decades. It doesn’t work because people want them already! Demand creates the market, not supply.

bootjack

The addicts will always have the need for drugs. But if there were no new users as of today the market for the poison would eventually diminish. That’s the idea to prevent new users, to prevent kids from experimenting with drugs.
Cut the supply and the prices will increase beyond what young people can afford.

Pammyjo

If an addict has no money they will resort to prostitution and crime

bootjack

I was speaking of young people who haven’t tried drugs but might be tempted to try them. Those people aren’t addicted yet.

odd999

the young people will just decide to raid grandpa’s medicine cabinet for his cancer pain killers.

bootjack

That’s why these meds need to be prescribed as measures of last resort and requirements made that they be locked up. Or alternately only administered under the supervision of a health professional like morphine is.

Thunder_Hole

Oh really. You lost credibility when you claims our children were “weaned on drugs”, tea bagger. Don’t universalize your personal experience.

bootjack

I stand by what I said and I’m right. The only thing you can do is name calling. Typical commie liberal.

TheGrapesofWrath

This is not a way to “win” it’s just a way to keep the war going. Driving up prices just makes people find something else (like the substance that LePage tried to veto a ban on).

Pammyjo

Its easier for a teen to get ahold of drugs than it is for them to get to college

bootjack

That’s why the need to make it much harder for kids to get drugs. It needs to be two fold. Drying up the supply and stiffer penalties for those who furnish or sell to anyone under 21.
And stronger education efforts showing the evils of drug use.

FrankE

This has been the idea all along, it’s drying up the supply that is proving to be impossible. An addict will literally do and say, not to mention, sell, anything in order to get their drug of choice. It’s a losing battle for the good guys, and there isn’t any way around it…………

bootjack

OK. We get you Frank. We can’t win and should give up. That would probably be palatable to some of us just based on the savings we’d realize. Let the addicts take their drugs and suffer the consequences on their own. Let them die if need be. That’s what they really want isn’t it? If they are dumb enough to take this poison?
The problem is it doesn’t end there. Some of these people have children who are born with problems. Then we have to pay to clean up the messes they leave behind. What happens when they steal and harm others to get their drugs? They’re definitely going to jail then!
What about dealers shooting it out on our streets? Other crime caused by dealers and traffickers?
There are no easy answers but we can’t sit by and let the country crumble into chaos because people want to party or check out on reality.

DefNotADem

Mark you took just part of the quote. He is not simply saying he doesn’t care about fellow cities.

“I don’t care about the users. We’ll get them in clinical therapy and that can be dealt with – if they chose to.”

dgtsakos

kinda like “you didn’t build that” or “we’ll have to pass it to see what’s in it” etc. I am sure you oppose these decontextualized sentence fragments, too.

DefNotADem

Nope…. we already have hundreds of millions in spending for treatment. The meeting was to discuss other methods of decreasing the number of users.

dgtsakos

you dodged the question

dgtsakos

nope…then you approve of hypocrisy if cons do it.

Mike C

On one hand, the wing nutz think Jade Helm 15 is an attempt by the gov’t to use the military to take over the country. On the other, they applaud The Beast LePage’s use of the military in civilian matters. Obama want’s to institute marshal law; LePage just wants to rid the state of drugs. I think maybe this is LePage’s coup attempt, that the drug thing is just a scheme for assuming control of the guard and distributing them throughout the state. Now that Constitutional Carry is legal, it will be easy to ID the gun owners and take them out first. Once LePage has relieved Mainers of their guns, there will be no stopping his total dictatorship.

jbs01

From the article: “LePage has taken the position that the penalties for drug traffickers aren’t stiff enough, saying Tuesday, “We’re soft on crime and we’re soft on penalties.” However, LePage actually tried to veto two bills passed by the Legislature that would have beefed up drug penalties.”

In other words, don’t do as I do, do as I say. What a shining example for all!

Can’t we have a more informed discussion about the most effective way to address this crisis? The Gov’s shoot, aim, ready approach to policy has real consequences. Can’t this Gov. debate policy and priorities without demonizing those who disagree with him?

The “there is lots of money available for treatment” line seems vague enough, and to date without any factual substantiation, such that we should treat it like the alleged large numbers of seniors who had contacted the Gov. against raising the min. wage. When records were obtained via FOIA, there had been one senior who mentioned the minimum wage in months of correspondence reviewed.

wollydevil

you will never win the war on drugs . other states have tried it an failed the US Government has poared Billions of dollars an its only gotten worse . The ONLY was to stop it is every car, truck ect needs to be searche4d. Every plane , boat ect needs to be searched 24/7

reed1v

Its Trillions, since 1962, and your correct. Total failure, massive corruption, and litle or no public support.

bootjack

Not doubting the money spent but public support in the past has been in support of fighting drugs. As the younger generations, who were weaned on drugs, come to age the support seems to be diminishing.

Thunder_Hole

Of course. All our kids were “weaned on drugs”. Mine weren’t. Sorry about yours.

reed1v

Neat. Tanks on the streets, military armed patrols in neighborhoods, and hopefully howitzers in all the public parks. Finally a solution that makes sense. Certainly nothing else has.

highpeaksman

Just another crisis created by Lepage’s years of inaction on a growing epidemic.

Who is going to pay for mobilizing the Guard? If the governor does it without federal recognition, it’s on the state’s ticket. The feds pay only if the President or Dept. of Defense authorizes mobilization. Where is the governor going to get the money to pay the Guard’s women and men? And what affect will mobilization have on their lives and on their employers? Members of the guard are entitled to their old jobs back once they are demobilized only if the mobilization has federal approval.

bootjack

That’s probably the best argument I’ve heard to use caution in using the National Guard. Best not to create a problem in trying to solve another.

bootjack

There have always been poor people and most of them didn’t do drugs or commit crimes.
The gang bangers in the ghetto are more easily attributed to easy welfare, lack of fathers in the home, and activists absolving them of any responsibility for their state of affairs.
Countries that produce this stuff still have plenty of poverty. They have corrupt leadership that need to be removed and replaced. Many of them were better off as Colonies of stronger countries that kept them in check.
I agree with you we need to have stronger education efforts that actually show the results of drug use. We need to reinstate our American values instead of condemning them as we have since the 1960’s.

yellowkid49

“Reinstate values,” seems to be the cure all catch phrase from the right. It’ makes a great sound byte, but what does it mean and how do you implement it?

And lets blame poor people for America’s problems. I blame you conservatives and your witless rhetoric.

bootjack

When I listen to people like you my blood burns. Most don’t know what it is like to be poor and they have the nerve to think all poor people are drug taking, drinkers, domestic abusers, and criminals.
There are many poor people who work hard, have values better than any of us, raise their kids well, are honest, hard working, people. You and other lesser lights here insult them with your characterizations.
There are also wealthy people who use drugs, have no values, don’t know what the inside of a church looks like, and commit crimes.
Drug use has many causes. But being poor is not one of them.
Unless it’s someone looking for an excuse.

unclejunebug

Good old Maine, STILL living in the 1960s!
LePage speaks jibberish and has no idea how to run or lead, he is Napoleonic. What a nation embarrassment he is for Maine, given he was relected and Maine’s economy is still stagnant and crumbling.

dgtsakos

paulie is back off his meds. let the fun begin.

FrankE

Paul Lepage is an idiot, you would think with his first hand knowledge of alcohol indulgence, he would have half a clue. No, instead he is making decisions based on what he THINKS needs to be done instead of what actually needs to be done. I guess Lepage doesn’t follow the news because if he did he would see that Maine is not alone with this problem. It’s a national problem maybe even a world wide problem. His conception of dealing with drug crimes will do nothing but over crowd the jails and waste good money. You can not arrest all the dealers, for every one arrested there are many more waiting for the opportunity. He needs to go after the inside people at the pharmaceuticals level, Large numbers of pills come directly from the manufacturers in other countries. He should be more concerned with teaming up with the other states in the fight against the distribution of drugs. The National Guard isn’t going to help there. Massacheussetts has a problem as big, if not bigger than the problem we have here in Maine. Don’t you think our problem may stem, in part, from their problem? That’s the kind of thinking he needs to consider, not just going out and arresting everything that moves.
I also feel that the punishments need to be more severe, but punish the right people, as it is now, the medical community is being harrassed into compliance or just not treating the legitimate patients that these prescription drugs are made for. Those people aren’t just going to go away, and you can not just stop treating them.
I just wish we could just fast track the LePage impeachment so that maybe we could get someone who has a grasp of what they need to do. As long as LePage is at the helm, nothing is going to change except maybe our bank accounts………….

bootjack

I agree it is a national problem. But with the total waste of a President we have little is being done in that respect. In fact our pot smoking President wants to empty the prison system!
The U.S. should have sent forces to work with the Mexican army to eliminate the cartels. Involve the CIA. Oh wait!!! We can’t use them because Obama has ruined that agency too!

yellowkid49

Bootjack you are quick to lay the blame on the left, but the fact is the we’ve had a drug problem for the last seven or eight administrations. How much of this is Obama’s fault.?

bootjack

I don’t blame Obama for creating the problem. As the sitting President with a worsening situation I blame him for not stepping up the efforts to fight it.

yellowkid49

Bootjack we’ve spent a trillion dollars “fighting” it to little or no avail.

bootjack

I suspect the dug problem would be worse if we didn’t fight drugs. There actually has been quite a bit of success getting them out of our schools.

sandrajeanford

You suspect? Earlier you snidely questioned someone who said we know what causes addiction and here you are making a blanket claim based on…..???

Thunder_Hole

You blame our President for practically everything and insult him daily. Your rut is well paved, tea bagger.

sandrajeanford

Hyperbole much?

bootjack

No. That post involved minimal facts and a lot of opinion. The same opinion that many people have come to. Judge by his favorability rating.

TomsInYork

Another over the top comment/proposed solution from the state of Maine’s most flagrant Drama Queen. The legislators don’t agree with his one sided solution to a multi faceted problem and off goes LeRage once again having another hissy fit. One thing our Drama Queen for a governor has shown us time and time again is that he has no clue whatsoever what it takes to be a leader. Maine desperately needs someone that can work to solve problems in this state, not one that day after day, week after week creates more problems and embarrassment for this state than he resolves. One can hope that the legislators will recognize sooner rather later that we have a sociopath for a governor that is unfit to hold his position. Either get him meds to control his hissy fits or get him out of office. Enough is enough!

Max Mendez

Yeah he needs to be removed, with criminal law if necessary.

He’s certainly been fishy enough for a couple of years in prison.

FrankE

If anyone’s ever traveled by road in southern Mexico, you would see why this problem is so prevalent. I used to drive truck to some engine factories in southern Mexico back in the eighties. What I saw in just the few times I visited the area made me sick. It’s no wonder the appeal for the big bucks is so appealing in those areas. there’s nothing else. I hear that Columbia and Honduras are far worse. It’s those profits we’re fighting against in the US. You take someone living in a dirt floor shack, offer them six figures, who’s going to turn that down. That’s what we are up against……………

bootjack

If you’ve been to Mexico you know that the cartels don’t exist to bring peoples standard of living up or to brighten their lives. The cartels are groups of greedy, evil, people who take advantage of and kill their fellow Mexicans.
The President of Mexico has the right idea of using the Mexican army because thats what it takes to defeat a well armed group like this. The problem is there is corruption within that army and in the law enforcement there.
These are not nice people. If they were they would help their country build a real economy not a criminal enterprise.

FrankE

You won’t get any argument from me on this, corruption and poverty are two of the biggest factors in the Cartels success. I think my point here is, there is no amount of money that Lepage can throw at this problem and expect a success story. His best bet would be to band together with the rest of the states having the same problem and attack the problem together. Problem is LePage isn’t exactly a team player, he insists on going it alone, and will not accept any advice, so the result will be a lot of wasted money. I truly believe he thinks he’s different than all the others before him……………………….

bootjack

Attacking the problem with other states is sensible.

Susan Murphy

LePage is the guy who needs treatment for alcoholism-based on his recent behavior he needs to detox and get clean!

Jason Mayo

The most abused, deadly drug is alcohol. It is legal because our society can not figure out a way to mitigate its effects without jailing “half” the citizens in this country-thus we opt for control and confer legal status on it. We should do the same with all drugs-legalize, tax, regulate-and promote drug awareness programs and rehab. Violent offenders committing crimes while drunk or high deserve to go to jail. Yet, victimless crimes and their perpertrators need our help. If LePage thinks we can arrest our way out of this problem, he surely embraces the idea of a punitive police state. Education can help restore sanity, might we start with our fearless leader?

yellowkid49

Red China had a drug problem when they came to power. They executed all the dealers and gave the users one chance to clean up, end of problem. Since it is unlikely that such draconian methods would be used here, the only viable solution is legalization, then the billions thrown down the toilet in the “war” can be used to rehabilitate those who wish to clean up. It would be cheaper to give hard core addicts their drugs and a stipend than to continue along our present course.

bootjack

Perhaps we should simply export our addicts to the countries that produce the illegal drugs. Let them take care of them with their drug profits.

No one knows the “root cause” of every drug user or dealer. There are a multitude and they differ from person to person and drug to drug. There are some people who want to push treatment as the only plan because there is a great deal of money to be made and employment opportunities for people in those fields.

Ybrad

I said “root causeS” and of course we know what a lot of them are. To militarize drug enforcement is certainly not the answer, shouldn’t even be AMONG the answers.

bootjack

How do you know what the “root causes” are? Did you survey addicts? Did you have members of your family or good friends who were addicts? Have you worked in a treatment center? Or have you simply listened to someone’s spiel about it?
There are as many reasons for addiction as there are addicts. We can’t possibly treat every reason for addiction. That’s why we have methadone clinics to maintain the addicts so they can survive and function.
The one thing I will say about treatment is that there are new drugs being developed that may make it easier to have a lasting end to the addicts need for a drug.

Ybrad

I said, “we”, not “I”, but in answer to your question, yes, yes, no and no. Of course we can’t treat every reason for addiction. We CAN pre-empt and treat along with enforcement. I am merely saying that deploying the National Guard, which is what this article is about, is foolish and short-sighted. “Factors that affect completion rates [of treatment] include frequency of opioid use before entering treatment, age, employment and education level.” (From the article) – figuring out how to alleviate some of those problems would be a good place to start. I don’t see much of that happening for the people I know.

Max Mendez

I actually think the Guard would be a decent idea, if it were to mobilize the 133rd Engineer Battalion to build enough housing to meet the state’s residential treatment and homelessness needs.

As law enforcement, I can’t even understand the suggestion.

sandrajeanford

“How do you know what the “root causes” are?”

What an ignorant response. How do you know about Hitler? Were you there? How do you know about the American Revolution? Did you witness it? How do you know about the Wright Brothers? Were they friends of yours?

What’s that? Oh, you READ about them! Imagine that, learning about something by reading about it. What a novel concept! I might try it myself.

bootjack

So then we take step two and consider the source read. Is it an accurate analysis based on real facts presented in context or is it cherry picked facts spun to make the point of the presenter?
We know where you get your info just by the way you rant on.

amosnme

lepages light bulb went on over his head, but it burned out a long time ago. He is trying to get back at the Legislature by bringing out the National Guard. Of course he has no idea what he would want them to do once they show up. One of them should be posted to his side and knock every drop of alcohol out of the governor’s hands. That’s a start. The National Guard is not there to be used as pawns in lepage’s nasty little schemes. Maybe he should go out into the public with a squirt gun and tag all of the people he believes are selling or buying drugs. Or he could quit before he gets impeached and he won’t have to worry about it.

bootjack

Let me ask you a question. If this idea didn’t come from Gov. Lepage would you be in favor of it? I’ll post your answer in advance and it would be “No”.
The fact that Lepage mentioned it gave you some red meat to chew on though.
Reading these posts I get the feeling there are more than a few here who have “experimented” with illegal drugs and likely some who use them even though they might no be addicted.
The deal is most recreational drugs are illegal. That means against the law people. If you possess them you are a criminal under the law. There is no “choice” to use them unless you “choose” to break the law. And if you do there are consequences.
Lepage is talking this talk because law enforcement needs assistance to enforce the law. He provided an alternative but the party of pot tossed his proposal aside.

Brian Messer

I would still disagree, as I would disagree if Obama wanted to mobilize US Army troops to fight drug dealers on US soil

bootjack

Well Obama couldn’t authorize active troops because there is a law against that. But the Governor has broad powers to use the National Guard in emergency situations.
The questions are will the cost of an activation outweigh the benefits derived from it? Would the cost exceed simply hiring and equipping more law enforcement who is already engaged?

MaineGeezer

Drug laws are inherently unenforceable. WIth, say, a burglary, if you’re robbed you go to the police. You do everything you can to assist the police. Not so with drug offenses.

Former police captain Peter Christ of Law Enforcement Against Prohibition describes them as “consentual crimes.” Everybody involved wants to engage in the activity. Peter says that not once in his 20 years as a cop did anyone come up to him and say, “Officer! That man over there just sold me drugs!”

People WANT drugs, just like they want alcohol. Dr. Andrew Weil believes the desire to alter consciousness is inherent in people, and possibly in other animals as well. Elephants, for example, seem to enjoy getting drunk on fermented fruit. No legislation is going to change the basic nature of people. It is pointless to try.

What would it mean to “win” the war on drugs? The elimination of drugs from society? Do you believe that is even remotely possible? Drugs are a problem in every prison in the country. If we can’t keep drugs out of prisons, what chance is there of eliminating them from society at large? Drugs are never going away. There will always be a demand. Thanks to basic capitalism, where there is a demand somebody will offer to supply the product.

Who does NOT benefit from drug prohibition?
1. Addicts
2. The rest of us

We need a drug policy that reverses those groups, so society benefits and drug cartels suffer. Legal regulated sale of alcohol put bootleggers out of business virtually overnight in 1933. Legal regulated sale of drugs will do the same with drug cartels.

A key word is “regulated.” The regulations will need to vary from drug to drug. Marijuana can be treated like alcohol. Heroin will need something like the Swiss clinic model.

And drug use won’t skyrocket. People don’t take drugs because they don’t want to, not because they are illegal. If heroin were legal, would YOU start using it? Not likely. Neither would I, nor would anyone else i know.

EddyL

A simpleton to be sure, with a simpleton’s “solution.”

raysgirl

Drug dealers exist because there is a demand for drugs. Most of the customers are likely addicts and it is addicts that keep them in business. If we want to eliminate drug dealing, we need to eliminate the larger portion of of addicts wanting to buy from dealers. Treatment is the best way to do that. I could see trying to create incentives for programs to get more folks to complete a rehab stint. Some of the low numbers are due to the nature of the disease. We are not successful in “curing” some other diseases either, but some programs do far better than others. We need to examine successful programs, learn what keeps an addict in treatment and institute those practices across all programs. That is money that would be far better spent than calling out the National Guard.

What really bothers me is LePage’s motives. I don’t believe they are beneficent or caring. Is this just more of I am going to get my own way, no matter what?? He line item vetoed almost everything to do with any treatment for addicts. What games is he playing????

Thunder_Hole

Every dictator and tyrant dreams of having his own private army. LePage is no different. Please impeach this ignorant, delusion bully while we still have state worth saving.

sandrajeanford

Amazing how all these “small government” and “get the federal government out of the states’ business” republican legislators take every penny given to them for highway funding, education, healthcare, law enforcement, to you name it, heck, most of the red states get back more than they pay in which means they’re being supported by blue states. Take the money on one hand and complain about it on the other. Typical republican hypocrisy.

I hope this paper keeps digging into the story of those leftover treatment funds even though I know it will turn out to be just another huge LePage/Mayhew lie.

Brian Messer

Nothing like an unmarked HUMVEE or Abrams to fool the dealers Serioulsy, can’t funds be spend more appropriately?

Anonymous

Would you say, when it comes to the military, that you are completely clueless, or just mostly?

Every battalion has an Shop 2 (intelligence) group which is fully capable of processing and performing trend analysis of intelligence, or evidence, gathered and predicting everything from who the higher level operatives are to likely routes of drug traffickers.

Waterville has a Military Police company who are capable of running checkpoints for the police, freeing up state and local resources.

No one is going to be driving down the street in HMMWVs.

Brian Messer

Would you say, when it comes to the judicial system, that you are completely clueless, or just mostly?

Do you believe any state court will accept evidence obtained and processed by the DOD?

And clueless about the military, not likely son, not likely

Will have to get a sarcasm button installed so you or your “Shop 2” group can interpret a simple post. Staff weenies, they never change

Anonymous

See MCRE. It’s admissible. Google will help.

guybo211

As of now the Maine Attorney General advises that this action on the part of the Governor is not lawful and the AG must certify that it is lawful before any such plan can be instituted:

A State drug interdiction and counter-drug activities plan shall—
(5) include a cerification by the Attorney General of the State…that the use of the National Guard of the State for the activities proposed under the plan is authorized by,
and is consistent with, State law;